DCLP Transcription [xml]
Introduction
Iatromagical prescriptions (SB 14.11909 = P.Yale 2.134 = Suppl.Mag. 2.76). The text constitutes the sixth column (20x16.5 cm) of a roll (P.CtYBR inv. 1206) containing a collection of magical charms; the remains of the preceding five columns are still unpublished and the back is blank. This column contains six magical-medical prescriptions (two more iatromagical recipes are written at the end of column v but are too fragmentary to yield any sense: only their layout suggests that they belong to the same genre) similar in style and content to the "Jocular Recipes" of Democritus (Δημοκρίτου Παίγνια: PGM 7,167-85 = CPF 1.1.2.43a,1T). The prescriptions are separated by paragraphoi and extra interlinear space. The hand is large and upright, very similar to that of P.Oxy. 19.2227, a chancery style dated to AD 306.
(This papyrus has been digitally edited by Nicola Reggiani as part of the Project "DIGMEDTEXT - Online Humanities Scholarship: A Digital Medical Library based on Ancient Texts" (ERC-AdG-2013, Grant Agreement no. 339828) funded by the European Research Council at the University of Parma (Principal Investigator: Prof. Isabella Andorlini). The digital edition is mostly based on the previous editions (ed.pr. = G.M. Parassoglou, SB XIV 11909; ed.alt. = S.A. Stephens, P.Yale II 134; ed.ter. = R.W. Daniel - F. Maltomini, Suppl.Mag. II 76; corr. F. Maltomini, CCC 1, 1980, p. 374; M. Marcovich, ZPE 65, 1986, p. 58; F. Maltomini, ZPE 68, 1987, pp. 105-6).)
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2 lines untranscribed
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κατκύψαι καὶ μὴ ἀνα̣κύψαι· νάρκης
θαλασσίας ἐνκεφάλῳ(*) [χ]ρ̣ῖε τὴν ἐσφῦν(*).
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ἐν βαλανείῳ τινὰ ἔρεσθαι(*)· κυνὸς νε-
κροῦ κροτῶνα θλά̣σ̣ον(*) ἰς(*) τὴν ἐσφῦν(*).
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5γυναικὶ ἐμπαῖξαι· θαψίας χυλῶι(*)
χρεῖε(*) τὸ αἰδοῖον.
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ἐν συ̣[μ]ποσίῳ μάχ̣ην γενέσθαι· κυνό-
δηκτον λίθον βά̣λε ἰς(*) τὸ μέσον.
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ὄξος δριμὺ ποιῆ̣σ̣αι· ψήφους πυρώ-
10σας βάλ’ ἐν [αὐ]τ̣ῶι.
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πρὸς πολλὰ βεινῖν(*)· σελείνου(*)
καὶ εὐζώμου σπ[έρ]μα πρότιε.
Apparatus
Notes
- 1-2.
Recipe for relaxing an erect penis: a prescription against priapism, or perhaps just a joke. The νάρκη θαλασσία "torpedo, electric ray" was generally believed to have antaphrodisiac power: see e.g. Plin. NH 32.139. ἀνακύπτω said of the penis is attested in Aristoph. Thesm. 1187b (cod. R, excised by Bentley).
- 3-4.
Recipe to pick someone up at the baths.
- 5-6.
Recipe for amorous dalliance with a woman. On the properties of θαψία "deadly carrot" see Dsc. MM 4.153,3-4 (2.299,6 ff. Wellmann).
- 7-8.
Recipe to cause a fight at a banquet. Literary parallels for stone throwing (but into the wine, not in the midst) e.g. in Aelian. NA 1.38 and Plin. NH 29.102; a Coptic parallel in an 11th-century codex: BKU 1.26, p. 29,15-16. There are also Arabic and medieval parallels. Marcovich 1986 argues that the dog-bitten stone must always be thrown into the wine bowl in order to create a contact with the guests, and proposes to read εἰς τὸ μέθυ also considering the following spell. His argument was rejected by Maltomini 1987.
- 9-10.
Recipe to turn wine sour.
- 11-12.
Recipe for frequent sexual intercourses. On the aphrodisiac properties of σέλινον "celery" and εὔζωμον "rocket" see e.g., respectively, Geopon. 12.23,3 (p. 372,4-6 Beckh) and Dsc. MM 2.140 (1.210,5-6 Wellmann).